NEVER lead trump on defense, page 1

Until you learn when is the correct time

Most of us have heard of The Ten Commandments of Euchre by Harvey Lapp. The number six commandment states "Thou shalt not leadeth trump to thine opponent's order."(If the opposition makes trump do not lead it)) This is, as are all of Harvey's other commandments, great advice to any new euchre player. As we become a more experienced player, we start to realize this rule may restrict our ability to win.

Not observing this rule may be a complete contradiction to what many of us have been taught. On the surface it would seem like this could only benefit the team naming trump. This is sometimes true, but there are also many types of hands where this play is called for. These plays tend to work best on thin calls where the trump is evenly distributed.

The main thought behind a trump lead that it forces the opposition to use their trump in a way they had not planned. Let's look at what happens when the opponents lead trump. When naming trump, most players have already given thought as to how they are going to play the hand. This is especially true when playing against aggressive players, leading trump will throw these plans into complete chaos. Consider that there is a fairly good chance that each opponent will hold at least one trump. This lead will remove 1 trump from each. You and your partner's aces now have a better chance of surviving. Another possibly is that after the first lead you may be able to control the rest of the trump. Wining at euchre does involve taking risks. Sure there will always be those hands where a trump lead only serves to help the opponents. Yet in these hands, no matter how they're played, a euchre is highly unlikely.

In an effort to euchre your opponents there will be times when one must step outside the box. These skills will develop over time, but only by motivated players that are willing to take chances and try new things.

As you look through the following pages, keep in mind that random leading of trump is counterproductive. Beyond just leading trump, thought must also be given as to how the rest of the hand will play out. While there are no general guidelines as to what type of hands where a trump lead would work best and the ones where it does work may not be common, they do come up. Be sure to watch for them. The best way we can show what may work is by presenting a series of different hands where this lead has worked well in the past and has high probability of success in the future.

Don Bunnis the creator of
OhioEuchre.Com.
As a self-proclaimed Euchre authority, Don is involved in teaching Euchre along with the promotion and operation of Euchre tournaments.He can be reached at info@OhioEuchre.Com